Friday, 1 September 2017

THE EARLS OF BELVEDERE WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY WESTMEATH, WITH 9,059 ACRES

The ancient and noble family of ROCHFORT, in old deed and writings styled De Rupe Forti, is stated to have been established in Ireland since its first conquest by the English.

Sir Richard de Rochfort was Lord of Crom and Adare, 1243; Sir Maurice Rochfort was Lord Justice of Ireland, 1302.

THOMAS ROCHFORT (c1450-1522) was Master of the Rolls in Ireland and Dean of St Patrick's, Dublin.

JAMES "PRIME-IRON" ROCHFORT, Lieutenant-Colonel in CROMWELL's army, youngest son of James Rochfort, of Agherry, County Wicklow (9th in descent from Sir William Rochford, Lord of the Manor of Kill at the beginning of the 14th century), was executed, under a court-martial, for killing Major Turner in a duel in 1652.

By Thomasina his wife, daughter of Colonel Pigott, he left three daughters and two sons.

The youngest son,

ROBERT ROCHFORT (1652-1727), chosen Speaker of the Irish house of commons, 1695, and constituted Chief Baron of the Exchequer, 1707, wedded Hannah, daughter of William Handcock MP, of Twyford, County Westmeath, and left two sons, the elder of whom,
THE RT HON GEORGE ROCHFORT MP, Chief Chamberlain of the Court of Exchequer, wedded, in 1704, Elizabeth,
daughter of Henry, 3rd Earl of Drogheda, and had issue,

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